Sea lion halts traffic on highway in California

SONOMA COUNTY, California -- A lost sea lion halted traffic in California on Monday morning after it tried to cross state Highway 37 in Sonoma County, Marine Mammal Center spokeswoman told CBS San Francisco.

The sea lion was first spotted on Highway 37 near the intersection with state Highway 121 and was trying to cross the road. It has since been taken to a veterinary hospital for a checkup.

A man got out of his car and chased the sea lion down, according to the California Highway Patrol. It was ushered back to the right shoulder and traffic resumed, though the animal kept trying to cross the highway, CHP officials said.

CHP tweeted that the seal had been corralled by officers at 11 a.m.

CHP initially said they weren't sure right away if the animal is a seal or sea lion, but said in the past, animals trying to cross that stretch of highway have been elephant seals, CBS SF reported.

Representatives of the Marin Headlands-based Marine Mammal Center responded to assist and took the sea lion into their care. It was taken to a veterinary hospital and will receive a full examination on Tuesday morning, center spokeswoman Laura Sherr said.

Sherr said it appears the sea lion has been in their care before, but she couldn't immediately say when.

A pregnant elephant seal, later dubbed "Tolay" by the Marine Mammal Center, backed up traffic in the same area of Highway 37 during two days in late December when it repeatedly tried to cross the roadway.

A seal was spotted near the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge in Marin County on Friday afternoon. Multiple vehicles stopped and apparently ushered the seal back into the Bay.